Joint initiative to tackle rheumatic fever.
Article Type: Brief article
Subject: Rheumatic fever (Prevention)
Rheumatic fever (Care and treatment)
Pub Date: 03/01/2012
Publication: Name: Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand Publisher: New Zealand Nurses' Organisation Audience: Trade Format: Magazine/Journal Subject: Health; Health care industry Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 New Zealand Nurses' Organisation ISSN: 1173-2032
Issue: Date: March, 2012 Source Volume: 18 Source Issue: 2
Geographic: Geographic Scope: New Zealand Geographic Code: 8NEWZ New Zealand
Accession Number: 284753699
Full Text: Rheumatic fever is being tackled head on at Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB) this year, with 13 different providers, including primary health organisations, non-government organisations and the DHB, joining forces to combat the disease. The recently formed Child Health Alliance--Counties Manukau" met for the first time earlier this year to begin implementing its collective approach to preventing rheumatic fever, which disproportionately affects Maori, Pacific and poor people. The alliance was formed in response to the Government's rheumatic fever prevention programme for eight high-risk rheumatic fever regions. Throat swabbing will start in schools in Otara, Mangere, Manurewa and Papakura by term three. The Child Health Alliance is also advocating for the programme to tackle skin infections and provide housing assessments.

Under an agreement between National and the Maori Party last December, rheumatic fever prevention programme funding has doubled to $24 million.
Gale Copyright: Copyright 2012 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.